Interlocking slide fastener



Jan. 13, 1942. 5,. D ETAL I I 2,269,419

INTERLOCKING SLIDE FASTENER Filed June 27, 1940 INVENTOR .fiwy'amln ad? BY and fa/zam Siegal.

s MQMQQRMQU ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 13, 1 942 Application June 27, 1940, Serial No. 342,676

8 Claims.

This invention relates to interlocking slide fasteners, and articles, such as bandages, surgical stockings, raincoats or the like, which embody such slide fasteners.

There are many applications, such as surgical stockings, bandages, and a variety of other articles, in which commercially available stretchable rubber or rubber-like sheet materials could be used with great advantage if they vcould be provided with interlocking slide fastener closures of the Zipper type, that would not detract from the desirable characteristics of the article'made of such material.

The interlocking links or teeth of all commercially practical slide fastener closures, familiarly known as Zippers, of the general type described, for instance, in U. S. Patent 1,243,458, have to be mounted in a predetermined, equally-spaced, relation on a tape or stringer provided with a beaded edge which resists stretching tosuch a degree as tobe practically non-stretchable. Otherwise, the staggered interlocking links of such slide fastener are readily brought out of their properly spaced and aligned operative positions, and the fastener loses its utility. As a re.- sult, all commercially practical slide fasteners had to be made with mounting tapes having beads of substantially non-stretchable textile fabric, such as cotton.

Heretofore, great difiiculties have been encountered in securing or fastening the textile web of such slide fasteners to the closure edges of articles made of rubber-like materials. If the textile webs of such slide fasteners are secured to the closure edgeohan article made of such rubber-like material by stitches, the junction not only impairs the appearance of the article, but the edge of the rubber-like material is greatly weakened, and is readily torn off. If the textile web of such slide fastener is cemented to an edge of such plastic sheet material, the junction is likewise unsatisfactory because it lacks thedesired flexibility and it readily strips off.

The invention solves the foregoing difliculties by making the tape of such interlocking slide fasteners with a web of rubber-like material Vinylite and Koroseal, poly isobutylene resins,

'chlorobutadiene resins, commercially known as Neoprene, rubber hydrochloride resins, commercially known as Pliofilm, and synthetic linear polyamide resins.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will be best understood from the following description of a practical exemplification of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein l a Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a surgical stocking made of a synthetic rubber-like material in accordance with. the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of the slide fastener junction of the stocking of tion of the invention, a surgical stocking, for the treatment ofvaricose veins, for instance. In-

, stead of making the stocking of elastic yarn fabric as usual, it is made of a transparent elastic synthetic rubber-like sheet material, such as the commercially available thin vinyl resin sheet material, sold under the name Vinylite. Stockings of such material have many advantages over which has an aiiinity, and may be readily united to the closure edges of articles made of rubberlike material, and by integrally forming along the edge of such web a substantially non-stretch-' stockings made of elastic yarn fabric, not only because it is much more sanitary and more effective in serving its purpose, but also because it may be made so thin and transparent as to enable the user to wear the surgical stocking underneath a silk hose, thus combining the benefit derived from the surgical stocking with the good external appearance of the sheer silk hose. In addition, the difliculties of keeping the stocking in sanitary condition are eliminated because a superficial washing of the surface of the-stocking will keep it in highly sanitary condition..

Elastic Vinylite sheet material, and. other commercially available similar rubber-like sheet materials, lend themselves for making such stocking. Adjacent portions of such resin sheet material maybe readily united into asubstantially homogenous sheet structure or unitary lamination by applying a suitable solvent to the overlapping surfaces and pressing them together, or

heating and pressing them together, or applying Alternatively, such stocking may be made by placing the material while heated to a fluid state,

rendered fluid by solvents into a suitable mold, the stocking being obtained by solidifying it in the molded shape either by lowering the temperature or by driving off the solvent.

Commercially proven methods of shaping articles, such as stockings, out of such materials, are made available to purchasers by the vendors of such material, and require no further description.

Since the material of the stocking is elastic,

the upper open end In thereof may be left closed 2 tially non-stretchable bead formed on the edge of such material.

Although, as explained hereinafter, the 010- sure edges of the article, such as the stocking described above, made of such stretchable material, may, in accordance with the invention, be provided with a non-stretchable bead for mounting thereon the interlocking teeth of the fastener, the commercially more practical slide fastener with a mounting tape of such material will first be described.

In the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a slide fastener of the invention has two stringers l3, each formed of a mounting tape l4, provided along its edge with a bead I5 to which are clamped the jaws l6 of arow of interlocking teeth or links H. The teeth of the two stringers are staggered rel atively to each other so that by moving in opposite directions the slider cam l8 fitting over the teeth H, the stringers are actuated to close and open their interlocking engagement, as in conventional slide fasteners.

The web 20 of the stringer tape I4 is formed not of textile fabric as usual, but of rubber-like sheet material, such as Vinylite, that stretches when exposed to the forces exerted on the interlocking teeth when the slider is actuated to close or open their interlocking engagement. As shown in Fig. 3, a tape strip 14 of such material is folded over a thin core 2| to form the bead l5 to which the jaws l6 of the interlocking teeth [1 are to be clamped. The portion of the tape strip II which surrounds the core is reinforced by a strip 22 of relatively non-stretchable material. The reinforcing strip 22 may be of textile fabric or any other material that will, under-external forces exerted thereon in opening and closing the interlocking engagement of' the teeth, resist stretching that would disturb the operative alignment and regular spacing of the teeth on the bead l5.

By clamping the jaws l6 of the interlocking links H around the bead I5 of the stringer tape, so as to firmly engage the relatively non-stretchable strip 22 extending along the exterior of the bead formation, the predetermined equal spacing of the links will be assured notwithstanding the fact that the web 20 of the stringer tape is formed only of the stretchable rubber-like sheet material which is used in forming the bead I5. The strip 22 serves thus as an aligning and spacing element 'of the bead formation l5. Such aligning and spacing strip 22 may be formed of any material which, when subjected to stretching forces of the character exerted by the interlocking links when they are actuated between their closed interlocking and open positions, will resist stretching beyond a degree that would disturb the predetermined aligned spacing and bring about nus-alignment of the interlocking links I! mounted on the bead l5. At the same time, the material of the spacing and aligning strip 22 is of such character as to assure that the jaws 16 of the locking teeth have good clamping engagement therewith and are prevented from longitudinal displacement from their clamped position on the bead 15.

Strong thin commercially available cotton fabric is very economical for use as the material for the spacing and aligning strip 22 of the bead. The core 2| may likewise be made of a similar commercially available fibrous cotton material and is likewise made sufli-ciently solid so as to form, in conjunction with the exterior spacing and aligning strip 22 and the intermediate layer of the stretchable material, a bead formation which will provide a positive support for the links, while assuring great flexibility of the bead formation between adjacent links H.

When such cotton or similar fibrous fabric is used for the spacing and aligning strip 22 and the core 2|, they are preferably impregnated or saturated with a cementitious material having an affinity for the rubber-like material of the tape strip 29 so that when they are assembled together into a bead formation, in the way shown in Fig. 3, they will be united to each other and form an integrally coalesced body.

Alternatively, the fabric strip 22 may be embedded in the surface ofthe rubber-like tape H while it is flat, and before the bead is formed. the material of the tape being softened so as to permit the fabric strip 22 to be united and embedded within the body of the tape material 14.

As another alternative, a large number of parallel fiat strips 22 of non-stretchable material may be embedded in a large sheet of material out of which the tapes I4 are to be cut, while the sheet material of the tape I4 is produced, for instance, by a casting process used in making most of the synthetic rubber-like materials which are suitable for practicing in the invention.

Any cementitious material, forming a firm bond or having bonding afllnity to the rubberlike material of t e tape I4 may be used for uniting the several e eifinfi of the bead l5 into an integral bead formationi, If desired, such cementitious material may also be applied to the bead after the links II have been clamped in place thereon in order to hold the links more firmly in their properly spaced positions on the bead l5.

Slide fasteners of the invention, such as described above, may be made with interlocking links I! of metal. However, in many applications, such as in making surgical stockings, the links may be made of a synthetic resin material,

- and, if necessary, of transparent synthetic resin material.

Instead of using a strip of textile fabric material for the spacing and aligning element 22 of the bead IS, a plurality of longitudinally'extend- .ing threads of non-stretchable material may be verse welt threads of such fabric strip 22 may be eliminated since the longitudinally extending warp threads are sumcient for performing the spacing and aligning functions of spacing and aligning element 22. A tape with a bead formation of the type described 'above in connection with Figs. 2 and 3 may be manufactured in a flexible wires.

continuous process and ina very economical way.

' Instead of using cotton fabric for the spacing and aligning element 22 and the. core 2| of the bead formation l5, other materials which have a similar resistance to stretching at normal temperatures, such as silk or Nylon, may be used.

By using a transparent synthetic resin material for the relatively non-stretchable spacing and aligning element 22 and the core element 2| as well as for the interlocking teeth l1, and combining them with a tape I4 of transparent elastic, rubber-like, synthetic-resin material, a substantially transparent slide fastener structure may be produced. articles, such as surgical stockings, which should remain inconspicuous when worn on the leg under sheer silk hose, for instance.

The core 2| of the bead may be made of twisted or interwoven strands of fibrous'material, or of flexible strands of plastic material, or of When making a tape formation of the type described in connection with Figs. 2 and 3 in a continuous process, the tape formation l4 with the spacing and aligning strip 22 are combined and united in a continuous process while forming the sheet material of the tape. To the so-produced fiat tape i4 is fed a cord out of which the core 2| is formed and the flat tape II is wrapped around the cord and united thereto by pressure in a suitable guide tool. Heat and pressure or solvent and pressure may be used to fuse the several elements of the bead-intoan integral body depending on the material used This is important in producin The various manufacturers of synthetic resin materials, such as Vinylite, Koroseal and rubber made of rubber-like material, by uniting the two flaps 20 of the tape l4 to both sides of the closure edge 3| of such material, in the way shown in Fig. 4. The uniting of the web flaps 20 and the closure portion 3| of the sheet into a substantially homogenous sheet structure or unitary lamination may be effected either by heating and pressing them together, if they are of thermoplastic material, or by applying solvent and pressure to their facing surfaces, or applying to their surfaces solvent while subjecting them to pressure or heat and pressure, or by applying to their surfaces a cementitious, material while subjecting them to pressure, or pressure and heat, depending on the character of the sheet material flap 2|! of th conjugate stringer is united to the other closure portion 32 of the article, so as to ing them out of contact with the object, such as the leg, which is to be enclosed by the stocking.

The article with the closure edges 3|, 32 may, for instance, be the stocking shown in Fig. 1. While in making a surgical stocking of the type shown in Fig. 1 it is commercially cheaperto unite the stringers to the closure edges II of the stocking, the edges of an article, such as a bandage, may be themselves used for forming thereof a bead formation in the way described incon- -nection with Figs. 2 to 5.

As shown in Fig. 6, when a stringer tape of the type shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is united to an article, such as a stocking of the type shown in Fig. 1, the end of eachstringer tape l4 may be provided with fiat end portions 35, 36, which are without a bead and free of the interlocking links, the two flat end portions 35 being utilized to reinforce the adjoining continuous sheet surface 31 of the article, for instance, by integrally uniting the tape end 35 to the outer side of the continuous stocking portion 31 and the other tape end 36 to its inner side, so as to reinforce it at the point where the closure starts. v

Although the exemplifications of the invention have been described above in connection with elastic stretchable materials, the invention is also of great value in connection with materials, which, though lacking elasticity, are stretchable,

because such stretchable materials would likei wisefail to form a satisfactory bead for the interlocking members of the slide fasteners of the type herein described. Accordingly, stretchable material, such as cellulosic derivative materials, are included among the materials to which the invention is applicable. 7

Many other modifications of the invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. It is accordingly desired that the appended claims be construed broadly and that they shall not be limited to the specific details shown and described in connection with the exemplifications thereof.

We claim: A

1. In a separable slide fastener for two closure portions having two cooperating rows of interlocking links which are brought into locking engagement and separated by a slider engaging said interlocking links, a stringer for each row of interlocking links forming the junction between the interlocking links and the associated closure portion, each stringer including an elongated web of pre-formed elastic stretchable rubber-like sheet material and a bead extending along said web to constitute a flexible support clampingly engaged by the associated row of interlocking links so as to hold them in a predeterminedlyspaced operatively-aligned relation, said bead being formed of a, portion of the pre-formed sheet or cement used, as specified by the suppliers of such materials.

As shown in Fig. -5, instead of making the stringer tape Id of the invention with two web flaps 20, it may be made with a single fiap 20.

The web flap 20 of one of the stringers I4 is united to one closure edge 3| of the article which material of said web folded over a cord formation and united thereto to constitute a bead formation of a predetermined overall thickness determined by the thickness of the cord formation and the thickness of the pre-formed sheet material folded thereover, said cord formation being. substantially nonstretchable and the thickness of the elastic sheet portion folded thereover being sufficiently thin and 'so united to said cord formation that the bead formation constitutes a substantially nonstretchable support effective in holding the links clamped thereto in their predeterminedly-spaced relation notwithstanding the stretchable character of the material of the folded-over sheet portion, and substantially preventing disturbance of the operatively-aligned relation of associated links under the action of forces exerted thereon by the motion of the slider when locking or separating the links.

2. In a separable slide fastener for two closure portions having two cooperating rows of interlocking links which are brought into locking engagement and separated by a slider engaging said interlocking links, a stringer for each row of interlocking links forming the junction between the interlocking links and the associated closure portion, each stringer including an elongated web of pre-formed elastic stretchable rubber-like sheet material forming two portions having inwardly facing surfaces and a bead extending along said web to constitute a flexible support clampingly engaged by the associated row of interlocking links so as to hold them in a predeterminedly-spaced operatively-aligned relation, said bead being formed of an intermediate portion of the pre-formed sheet material of said web folded over a cord formation and united' thereto to constitute a bead formation of a predetermined overall thickness determined by the thickness of the cord formation and the thickness of the pre-formed sheet material folded thereover, said cord formation being substantially nonstretchable and the thickness of the elastic sheet portion folded thereover being sufficiently thin and so united to said c'ord formation that the bead formation constitutes a substantially nonstretchable support effective in holding the links clamped thereto in their predeterminedly-spaced relation notwithstanding the stretchable character of the material of the folded-over sheet portion, and substantially preventing disturbance of the operatively-aligned relation of associated links under the action of forces exerted thereon by the motion of the slider when locking or separating the links.

3. In an article, such as a surgical stocking, having two closure portions of elastic stretchable rubber-like sheet material, a separable slide fastener for said two closure portions having two cooperating rows of interlocking links which are brought into locking engagement and separated by a slider engaging said interlocking links, a stringer for each row of interlocking links form'- ing the junction between the interlocking links and the associated closure portion, each stringer including an elongated web of pre-formed elastic stretchable rubber-like sheet material overlappingly joined to the associated closure portion and a bead extending along said web to constitute a flexible support clampingly engaged by the associated row of interlocking links so as to hold them in a predeterminedly-spaced operativelyaligned relation, said bead being formed of a portion of the pre-formed sheet material of said Web folded over a cord formation and united thereto ter of the material of the folded-over sheet portion, and substantially preventing disturbance of the operatively-aligned relation of associated links under the action of forces exerted thereon .by the motion of the slider when looking or separating the links, the materials of said web and the material of said closure portions having similar elastic and bonding characteristics, and the facing portions of said web and said closure portionbeing united to each other over a continuous junction area so that the region of the junction between the web and the closure is formed of material having substantially the same characteristics.

4. In an article, such as a surgical stocking, having two closure portions of elastic stretchable rubber-like sheet material, a separable slide fastener for saidtwo closure portions having two cooperating rows of interlocking links which are brought into locking engagement and separated by a slider engaging said interlocking links, a stringer for each row of interlocking links forming the junction between the interlocking links and the associated closure portion, each stringer including an elongated web of pre-formed elastic stretchable rubber-like sheet material forming two portions having inwardly facing surfaces overlappingly joined to the exterior surfaces of the associated closure portion and a bead extending along said web to constitute a flexible support clampingly engaged by the associated row of interlocking links so as to hold them in a predeterminedly-spaced operatively-aligned relation, said bead being formed of an intermediate portion of the pre-formed sheet material of said the links clamped thereto in their predeterto constitute a bead formation of a predeterminedly-spaced relation notwithstanding the stretchable character of the material of the folded-over sheet portion, and substantially preventing disturbance of the operatively-aligned relation of associated links under the action of forces exerted thereon by the motion of the slider when locking or separating the links, the materials of said web and the material of said closure portions having similar elastic and bond-' ing characteristics, and the facing portions of said web and said closure portion being united to each other over a continuous junction area so that the region of the junction between the web and the closure is formed of-m'aterial having substantially the same characteristics.

5. In an article, such as a surgical stocking, having two closure portions of elastic stretchable rubber-like sheet material, a separable slide fastener for said two closure portions having two cooperating rows of interlocking links which are brought into locking engagement and separated by a slider engaging said interlocking links, a

stringer for each row of interlocking links forming the junction between the interlocking links and the associated closure portion, each stringer including an elongated web of pre-formed elastic stretchable rubber-like sheet materialoverlappingly joined to the associated closure portion 4 and a bead extendinglalon'g said webto constitute a flexible support clampingly engaged by the associated row of interlocking links so as to hold them in a predeterminedly-spaced operativelyaligned relation, said bead being formed of a portion of the pre-formed sheet material of 'said web folded over a cord formation and united thereto to constitute a bead formation of a predetermined overall thickness determined by the thickness of the cord formation and the thickness of the pre-formed sheet material folded thereover, said cord formation being substantially nonstretchable and the exterior of the folded-over elastic sheet portion overlying said cord formation embodying longitudinally extending elements exhibiting sufliciently greater elastic sheet portion that the bead formation constitutes a substantially nonstretchable support effective in holding the links clamped thereto in their predeterminedly-spaced relation notwithstand ng the stretchable character of the material of the folded-over sheet portion, and substantially preventing disturbance of the operatively-aligned relation of associated links under the action of forces exerted thereon by the motion of the slider when locking or separating the links, the materials of said web and the material of said closure portions having similar elastic and bonding characteristics, and the facing portions of said web and said closure portion being united to each other over a continuous cooperating rows of interlocking links which are brought into locking engagement and separated by'a slider engaging said interlocking links, a stringer for each row of interlocking links forming the junction between the interlocking links and the associated closure portion, each stronger including an elongated web of pre-formed elastic stretchable rubber-like sheet material forming two portions having inwardly facing surfaces oyerlappingly joined to the exterior surfaces of 1 the associated closure portion and a bead extending along said web to constitute a flexible support clamplngly engaged by the associated row of interlocking links so as to hold them in a prodete'rminedly-spaced operatively-aligned relation, said bead being formed of an intermediate portion of the pre-formed sheet material of said longitudinal stretch resistance than the adjacent atively-aligned relation of associated links "under. the action of forces exerted thereon by the motion. of the slider when locking or separating the links, the materials of said web and the material of said closure portions having similar elastic and bonding characteristics, and the facing portions of said web and said closure portion being united to each other over a continuous junction area so that the region of the junction between the web and the closure is formed of material having substantially the same characteristics. a

7. In a separable slide fastener for two closure portions having two cooperating rows of interlocking links which are brought into locking engagement and separated by a slider engaging said interlocking links, a stringer for each row of interlocking links forming the junction between the interlocking links and the associated closure minedly-spaced operatively-aligned relation, said head being formed of a portion of the pre-formed sheet material of said web folded over a cord forms ion and united thereto to constitute a bead web folded over a .cord'formation and united thereto to constitute a bead formation of a predetermined overall thickness determined vby the thickness of the cord formation and the thickness of the prc-formed sheet material folded thereover, said cord formation being substantially nonstretchable and the exterior of the folded- ,over elastic sheet portion overlying said cord formation embodying longitudinally extending. elements exhibiting sufliciently greater longi- I their predeterminedly-speced relation notwith-' standing the stretchable-character of the material of the folded-over sheet portion, and substantially preventing disturbance of the operformation of a predetermined overall thickness determined bythe thickness of the cord formation and the thickness of the pre-formed sheet material folded thereover, said cord formation being substantially nonstretchable and the exterior of the folded-over elastic sheetportion' overlying said cord formation embodying longitudinally extending elements exhibiting sufficiently greater longitudinal stretch resistance than the adjacent eiastid sheet portion that the bead formation constitutes a substantially nonl stretchable support effective in holding the links clamped thereto in their predeterminedly-spaced relation notwithstanding th stretchable character of the material of the folded-over sheet portion, and substantially preventing disturbance of the operatively-aligned relation of associated links under the actionof forces exerted thereon by the motion of the slider when locking or separating the links.

8. In a separable slide fastener for two closure portions having two cooperating rows of interlocking links whichare brought into locking engagement and separated by a slider engaging said interlocking links, a stringer for each row of interlocking links'forming the junctionbetween the interlocking links and the associated closure portion, each stringer including an elongated web of pro-formed elastic stretchable rubher-like sheet material forming two spertions having inwardly facing surfaces and a bead ex tending along said' to constitute a flexible support clampingly engaged by the associated row of interlocking links so as to hold them in a predeterminedly-spaced operatively-aligned relation, said bead being formed of an intermediate portion of the pro-formed sheet material of said web folded ovens cord formation and united thereto to constitute a bead formation of a predetermined overall thickness determined by the thickness of the cord formation and the thick- 1 th 'pre-formed sheet material folded ness of thereover, said cord formation being substantially nonstretchable and' the exterior of the ing elements exhibiting sumciently greater longitudinal stretch resistance than the adjacent elastic sheet portion that the bead formation constitutes a substantially nonstretchable support eifective in holding the links clamped thereto in their predeterminedly-spaced relation notwithstanding the stretchable character of the material of the folded-over sheet portion, and

substantially preventing disturbance of the operatively-aligned relation of associated links under the action of forces exerted thereon by the motion. of the slider' when locking or separating 5 the links.

BENJAIVIIN ADLER. LAZAR S IEGEL. 

